GENEROSITY marked Draft Day of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) on Sunday.
In a stunning innovation worthy of praise, the star-hungry teams did not really immediately gobble up the league’s future stars for their own private delectation—at least, for now. Thanks, in large part, to the governors led by PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas.
Kudos to the one who cooked up this idea.
Big brother PBA really scored a homerun here for Philippine basketball, bringing gallantry to the altar of national interest by lending the top draftees to Gilas Pilipinas before they are allowed to dish off their wares in Asia’s oldest play-for-pay loop.
I am referring to Jordan Heading, Will Navarro, Tzaddy Rangel and Jaydee Tungcab. They landed at Terrafirma Dyip (Heading), NorthPort (Navarro), NLEX (Rangel) and TNT (Tungcab) in the side lottery called Special Gilas Draft.
With this, the PBA has just scored a much-valued concession to the national team, underscoring the league’s courageous contribution to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ (SBP) monumental mission to snatch a slot in the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) World Cup set in three Asian countries, including the Philippines.
Once more, the PBA governors made everybody happy as their commitment to the national cause has been more than affirmed, while giving their family a much-needed security and sustainability in these trying times.
The set-up has all the more assured team lineups of steadiness as it ensured undisturbed rotations and politically correct playing patterns when the league finally unwraps, hopefully, on April 9.
As the saying goes, “Everybody happy.”
THAT’S IT Marvelous Marvin Hagler, 66, left a boxing legacy too hard to surpass, let alone equal. He was the undisputed middleweight world champion from 1980 to 1987, compiling a superb record of 62-3, with two drawn and 52 knockouts. In defending his crown 12 times, Hagler fought the best in his era, defeating them all, including the equally greats Thomas “Hitman” Hearns and Roberto “The Hands of Stone” Duran. In his final triumph in 1986, Hagler knocked out the unbeaten John Mugabi of Uganda in the 11th round. I’ve watched them all on TV. Spellbinding. Said Bob Arum of Hagler: “He was a man of honor and a man of his word, and he performed in the ring with unparalleled determination.” Marvelous, indeed.